“When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”
~ Pauline R. Kiser
justliveinc.org
By Annette Newcomb~Editor
A life can change in the blink of an eye. Kelly Wilson knows first hand the pain of losing someone to suicide.
Four years ago on Aug. 14 her daughter Jamie Leigh, 21, died from suicide. Jamie was a graduate of Westosha Central High School and had graduated from the University of Colorado Massage Therapy. She had been employeed at the Grand Geneva for two years prior to her death.
“There is depression on both sides of the family,” Wilson said. Jamie fought it and had once spoke of suicide.
“She told me once she walked down the hill by the house with the gun,” Wilson recalled, remembering an uncle who has died 25 years earlier in a similar fashion.
While the heartbreak of losing someone is shattering, the stigma of suicide is just as painful. That’s one of the reasons Wilson decided to fight back and educate anyone who wants to learn.
Four years ago, with the help of her husband, Keith and sister Shannon Riley, and many friends of Jamie Leigh’s, decided they had enough and wanted to lean into the pain and misunderstandings related to suicide and try to educate and help peel back the stigma. They launched the Labor of Love Music Festival and the JustLiveInc. website.
This year the event will be held Sunday, Sept. 1 from noon to 7 p.m. at New Munster Park.
“There will be live bands and food and kids activities…things for the entire family and there is no admission,” Wilson said.
More importantly, there will be educational booths on site, carrying a variety of information about depression, suicide and where to find help.
“There will be talking tents, should someone feel the need to speak to someone in private, one-on-one, that will be place.”
With so many people being affected by depression each day, having an event that highlights this helps to raise awareness about the subject as well as how it can be managed through the use of antidepressants and CBD products from somewhere like Natureandbeyond.com. While these CBD products are more common in the States, they are slowly increasing in popularity across the world and are now more regular used in countries like the UK. Here is a review of the best CBD oil UK residents can get.
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This event is geared toward educating people about depression and suicide and breaking down the stigma attached to both, but Wilson said the day will also be a celebration of life. “We want to educate people, to help them understand there is help out there and most importantly, that it’s OK to admit you are depressed and want help,” Kelly said.
Suicide prevention tips can help you help others
According to Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES), a non-profit organization based in Madison, people considering suicide may:
• talk about killing them-selves and become fixated on death;
• make statements of hopelessness and belittle their own worth;
• suddenly become happier or calmer;
• lose interest in hobbies;
• start visiting or calling loved ones;
• start putting affairs in order and making arrangements;
• start giving things away.
More than 90 percent of those who kill themselves have treatable mental ill-nesses, such as depression or substance abuse.
Some signs of depression:
• substance abuse;
• irritability, increased cry-ing, anxiety and panic at-tacks;
• difficulty concentrating and remembering;
• disrupted eating and sleeping patterns;
• loss of interest in ordinary activities;
• a persistent sad mood.
What to do when you notice a warning sign:
Talk with the person about depression and suicide in a nonjudgmental way to prompt him or her to seek help.
Some questions to ask include: “Do you ever feel so badly that you think of sui-cide?” and “Do you have a plan?” and “Do you have access to what you would use?”
These questions will help to gauge whether the danger is immediate, and if immediate help is needed. Always take action when you learn of suicide plans, including calling 911 or taking the person to the emergency room.
Don’t try to minimize the person’s problems, convince him or her that things will get better or that he or she has many reasons to live. This may only increase feelings of guilt and hopelessness.
It’s better to let the person know that help is available, depression is treatable and suicidal feelings are temporary.
If you deem the danger not immediate, acknowledge the person’s suffering as legiti-mate and offer to help work through the pain. Help to find a doctor or a mental health care professional right away.
Where to seek help
There is help
If you are contemplating suicide or have lost a loved one to suicide, these state and national organizations offer services such as counseling and support, or can connect you with help:
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Call this number if you are in crisis); 800-273-TALK (8255)
• Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES); www.hopes-wi.org or (608) 274-9686
• Mental Health America of Wisconsin
www.mhawisconsin.org; Milwaukee office: (414) 276-3122 or toll-free (866) 948-6483; Madison office: (608) 250-4368
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)-Wisconsin; www.namiwisconsin.org; (608) 268-6000 or (800) 236-2988.
(Information courtesy WisconsinWatch.org.)